Improvement in brick-machines



ILYEERS. PHOTO-UTDIOGRAPHER, WASHINGTON. D.

dinard tat THOMASSMURFIT, 0F DAVISVILLE, MICHIGAN.

LettersPatent No. 98,115, dated December 21, 1869.

The Schedule referred to in these Letters Patent and making part of the same l To all whom it mag/convent:

Be it known that I, THoMAs- SMURFIT, of Davisville, Sanilac county, State of Michigan, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Brick-Machine; and Ldo hereby declare that the following is a full, clear,

' and exact description thereof, which will enable' others skilled iu the art to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification. t j

Figure 1 is a detail sectional view of my improved `machine, taken through the line x x, fig. 2.

Figure 2 is a side view of the same.

Figure 3 is a top view of the same, partly in section, to show .the construction.

Similar letters of reference 'indicate corresponding parts.

My invention has for its object to furnish an improved brick-rnachinc, which shall-bestrong, durable, simple in construction, and effective in operation, making the bricks rapidly and well; and

It consists in the construction and combination of the various parts of the machine, as hereinafter' more fully described.

A is the case of the machine, which is made with a double bottom, al a?, the opposite sides ofthe upper bottom c2 being cut away, as shown inigs.,1 and 3, to allow the prepared clay to pass down to the press.

B is a vertical shaft that passes down through the 4 centre of the case A, and revolves in bearings in the upper bottom a2, and in a cross-bar a, at the top of the case A. 1 I

The upper end of the shaft B, that projects above the bar or beam (d, is squared off to enter a square socket formed in or attached to the inner end of' the sweep C, to the outer end of which the horse is `attached.

Tothe lower end of the shaft B, in the space between the two bottoms a* a2, is attached, or upon it is formed, a crank, D, to the rcrank-pin of which is pivotedmne end 'ofthe connecting-rod E, the other end of which is attached to the sliding press F, so that if the shaft B is revolved the press I*l may be moved alternately toward the opposite sides of the press, and force the clay into the moulds alternately.

G are slides placed directly beneath thenpper bottom a2, so that they may be pushedout to close more or less the openings through which the clay passes to ,the press, to regulate the feed of the machine.

'lo the slides G are pivoted the outer ends of the connecting-bars H, the inner ends of which are pivoted to the lever I, upon opposite sides of and equally distant from the shaft B. l -v The lever I has a hole formed through it, for the passage of the shaft B, so that the said shaft may serve as a t'uicrum for the said lever.

The outer end of the lever I extends out through aslot in the side of the case A, so that tmay be conveniently reached and operated by the attendant.

.T are arms or wings attached to the shaft B, which, as the said shaft is revolved, sweep through the clay in the machine, keep itthoroughly mixed, and at the same time feed it down to the press.

K are racks placed in the discharge-openings in the opposite sides of the case A, the openings through which are made of the same shape and size asthe brick-machine. Y

' The racks K are designed to divide up the clay as it is, forced out of the machine, into several streams. and guide the said streams into the moulds.

The inner edges of the cross-bars of the racksl K are bevelled voi upon both sides, as shown in fig. 3, so that they may offer the least possible obstruction y to `the egress of the clay.

L are theseparators, which move up and down in ways attached to the sides of the case A, and in4 the lower parts of which are formed openings similar in form and size to the o ening through the racks K, so that when theV said segarators-are' lowered the openings iu the separators may correspond with the openings of the racks K, and form continuations of the guide-spouts, through which the clay passes from the' press to the moulds. A

iVhen the moulds are full, the separators are raised, i

and their bottom bar cuts off the streams of clay, or separates the clay in themoulds from that in the machine, leaving the surface of the mouldedfbricks smoothand ready to, be removed from the moulds. v

M are levers, pivoted to the sides of t-he case A, the lower ends of whichare connected with the middle part of the upper cross-bar of the separators L by a rope or chain, N, which passes over a guideepulley, 0, pivoted to the side of the case A, so that the separators may be raised vertically by separating the 1evers M. r

The npperends of the levers M extend above the top of thecase A, into such a position that they may be struck and operated atthe proper time by the sweep G, or byan inclined block or cam attached to said sweep. Y

P are the moulds, which are placed upon `their edges, with their mouths or open sides opposite the openings through which the clay is pressed out.

' The lower parts of the moulds P are supported` against outward pressure by a bar, Q, or the side of a groove in which the said lower edge rests.

The upper part of the mould is supported against outwardpressure by a bar, R, the ends of which are bent inward, and are pivoted to ears attached to or connected with the case A, so that the said bar R may be turned down to support the mould, or turned up to release it, as desired. y

To the middle 'part of the bar Ris pivoted the lower end of the rod S, which passes up through an eye attached to the outer side of the middle part of the upper cross-bar of the separator' L,`as shown in figs. 1 and 2.

The upper end of the rod S has a head or other stop formed upon it, and extends above the said crossbar to such a dista-nce that when the separator has been raised far enough to separate the streams of clay, the eye upon the said cross-bar may strike the stop upon the rod S, and carry the said rod with it, raising the bar R away fram the mould P.

`The bottom of the groove in which the lower edge of the-mould P rests is made to slightly incline outward, so that when released from the barR, the mould may tip ,outward and drop upon a platform, barrow, or other device prepared to receive it.

By the alternate action of the press, ample time is given for replacing a full mould with an empty one upon one side of the machine while the mould upon the other side is being filled,- and so ou alternately.

Having thus described my invention,

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. 'lhe combination of the bar R and rods S with the separator L, cord N, pulley O, lever M, and sweep C, all constructed and arranged to operate as shown and described. l

2. The separator L, rope or chain N, pulley O, and leverM, with the press F, rack K, case A, and sweep C, substantially' as herein shown and described, for the purpose set forth.

3. The oscillating lever I, connected with the slides G by links H, and having the shaft B as its fulcrnm, when extended laterally through a slot in the side ot' the case A, to allow the supply of clay to the moulds to be regulated at the will of the operator, as set forth.

THOMAS SMURFIT, Witnesses:

JOSEPH T. Moss, LUcrUs H. FrrcH. 

